The real appearance of gay and lesbian theatre was an offshoot off of the Gay Liberation movement and differs from the simple appearance of homosexuals in theatre. Prior to 1960, plays that dealt with the gay and lesbian community portrayed gay men as male "deviants" who were often depicted as being flamboyant effeminates, destructive decadents, and curable hypersensitives while lesbians were often portrayed as being predatory or doomed. However, gay and lesbian theatre became popularized through experimental theatre Off-Broadway during the 1950s and further during the "Sexual Revolution" of the 1960s. It was through these two movements, that gay and lesbian playwrights, actors, and directors felt comfortable and able to express and address their problems, troubles, and constituencies. Throughout the two decades of proliferation, many experimental theatres and theatre troupes emerged that led the gay theatre movement including the most notable, Caffe Cino, which helped to jumpstart the careers of legends such as Robert Patrick, William Hoffman, and Donic Wilson. The first notable play of the gay and lesbian theatre movement, was the Broadway show, The Boys in the Band. The Boys in the Band was the first show to truly put a homosexual character at the forefront of the play's actions while helping to share the gay struggle and gay identity with the public. Through the show's success, many similar plays were produced that focused heavily on drag queens and token swishy types that were incorporated into a number of various productions which gay dramatists attempted to blend with insider accounts and knowledge.
While both gay and lesbian theatre gained popularity within the theatre community, some dramatists argued that in the theatre, "often poisons what you see and hear" arguing that some playwrights hid their messages and concerns in heterosexual relationships, afraid that theatre was beginning to be overrun by "perverts." While gay and lesbian theatre continued to thrive despite small and hostile opposition, the mainstream remained true to its prior form, beginning to produce more glitzy and drag-inspired plays and musicals while more experimental and realistic plays that portrayed the struggle of the gay community were unsuccessful. Towards the end of the 1970's however, many gay playwrights and producers began to successfully portray gay characters on stage as normal people in the American landscape. At the same time, gay revues and transvestite theatre featuring gender-bender troupes from around the nation began to emerge from the urban subculture, popularizing icons such as Ronald Tavel, the Theatre of the Ridiculous, and Charles Ludlam. The popularity of gay theatre led to the creation of gay producing companies that sprung up all over the nation, ultimately creating the Gay Theatre Alliance in 1978 and the first Gay Theatre Alliance festival in 1980. In coordination with the explosion of popularity in feminist theatre, lesbian troupes also became very popular around the nation and particularly in urban centers such as New York, Atlanta, and Minneapolis.
The traumatizing effect of the AIDS crisis left not only the gay and lesbian theatre community's broken, but the entire theatre community at a loss of workers after decimating countless members of the gay community. Such a loss illustrated the theatre's dependence on talented homosexuals. The AIDS crisis not only led to a loss of employees and members of the theatre community, but it helped to create a resurfacing of the modern problem play. in which the message is more important than the medium of which it is performed. Currently, the voices of the gay and lesbian community in theatre are attempting to reach beyond their previous "campy" message. While opposition from groups such as the NEA and other influential groups has slowed the progression of modern experimental gay and lesbian theatre, the voices of minorities continue to be unsilenced. The voices in the gay and lesbian theatre community are too many to be silenced.
The real appearance of gay and lesbian theatre was an offshoot off of the Gay Liberation movement and differs from the simple appearance of homosexuals in theatre. Prior to 1960, plays that dealt with the gay and lesbian community portrayed gay men as male "deviants" who were often depicted as being flamboyant effeminates, destructive decadents, and curable hypersensitives while lesbians were often portrayed as being predatory or doomed. However, gay and lesbian theatre became popularized through experimental theatre Off-Broadway during the 1950s and further during the "Sexual Revolution" of the 1960s. It was through these two movements, that gay and lesbian playwrights, actors, and directors felt comfortable and able to express and address their problems, troubles, and constituencies. Throughout the two decades of proliferation, many experimental theatres and theatre troupes emerged that led the gay theatre movement including the most notable, Caffe Cino, which helped to jumpstart the careers of legends such as Robert Patrick, William Hoffman, and Donic Wilson. The first notable play of the gay and lesbian theatre movement, was the Broadway show, The Boys in the Band. The Boys in the Band was the first show to truly put a homosexual character at the forefront of the play's actions while helping to share the gay struggle and gay identity with the public. Through the show's success, many similar plays were produced that focused heavily on drag queens and token swishy types that were incorporated into a number of various productions which gay dramatists attempted to blend with insider accounts and knowledge.
While both gay and lesbian theatre gained popularity within the theatre community, some dramatists argued that in the theatre, "often poisons what you see and hear" arguing that some playwrights hid their messages and concerns in heterosexual relationships, afraid that theatre was beginning to be overrun by "perverts." While gay and lesbian theatre continued to thrive despite small and hostile opposition, the mainstream remained true to its prior form, beginning to produce more glitzy and drag-inspired plays and musicals while more experimental and realistic plays that portrayed the struggle of the gay community were unsuccessful. Towards the end of the 1970's however, many gay playwrights and producers began to successfully portray gay characters on stage as normal people in the American landscape. At the same time, gay revues and transvestite theatre featuring gender-bender troupes from around the nation began to emerge from the urban subculture, popularizing icons such as Ronald Tavel, the Theatre of the Ridiculous, and Charles Ludlam. The popularity of gay theatre led to the creation of gay producing companies that sprung up all over the nation, ultimately creating the Gay Theatre Alliance in 1978 and the first Gay Theatre Alliance festival in 1980. In coordination with the explosion of popularity in feminist theatre, lesbian troupes also became very popular around the nation and particularly in urban centers such as New York, Atlanta, and Minneapolis.
The traumatizing effect of the AIDS crisis left not only the gay and lesbian theatre community's broken, but the entire theatre community at a loss of workers after decimating countless members of the gay community. Such a loss illustrated the theatre's dependence on talented homosexuals. The AIDS crisis not only led to a loss of employees and members of the theatre community, but it helped to create a resurfacing of the modern problem play. in which the message is more important than the medium of which it is performed. Currently, the voices of the gay and lesbian community in theatre are attempting to reach beyond their previous "campy" message. While opposition from groups such as the NEA and other influential groups has slowed the progression of modern experimental gay and lesbian theatre, the voices of minorities continue to be unsilenced. The voices in the gay and lesbian theatre community are too many to be silenced.